Arts Therapies Practice
(The differences between the UK and Saudi Arabia)
Keywords:
Arts therapies; Art therapy; Music therapy; Dance movement therapy; Dramatherapy; culturally sensitive; Saudi Arabia; Qualitative and Practice
Abstract
The differences in practicing arts therapies between the UK as western country and the KSA as an middle eastern country manifest themselves in cultural context, aims, approaches and theories. This study into the differences between the UK and Saudi Arabia saw value in examining these differences to see whether divergent approaches can help to inform and improve competing pathways. This study used semi-structured interview to identify the differences in practicing arts therapies in both countries, and to identify the cultural issues in practicing arts therapies in KSA. Data was collected using interviews from twelve arts therapists from the UK and nine informants from KSA. The findings demonstrate that art therapists in KSA focus on behavioural modification while arts therapists in the UK focus on improving emotional wellbeing. Art therapists in KSA used more structured approaches which are less effective for children with ADHD. There may be cultural problems in using arts therapies in KSA, particularly music and dance. Safety, routine activities and ground rules were adopted from the current practices in the UK and adapted to be appropriate for the cultural context in KSA. Understanding cultural issues by the therapist may increase the value of arts therapies interventions.
References
1. ABU TALEB, R.A. and FARHEEN, A., 2013. A Descriptive Study of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Sabia City, Saudi Arabia. International Journal of Current Research and Review. vol. 5, no. 11, pp. 36-41.
2. ABUR RAHIM, F., AL-HAMAD, A., CHALEBY, K. and AL-SUBAIE, A., 1996. A survey of a child psychiatry clinic in a teaching hospital in Saudi Arabia: Clinical profile and cross-cultural comparison. Saudi Medical Journal. vol. 17, no. 1, pp. 36-41.
3. AL HAMED, J.H., TAHA, A.Z., SABRA, A.A. and BELLA, H., 2008. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): Is it a Health Problem among Male Primary School Children. Bahrain Medical Bulletin. vol. 30, no. 2, pp. 1-9.
4. AL MULLA, S., 2008. Psychodrama Program for Reducing Attention deficit Hyperactivity disorder in Kindergarten in the United Arab Emirates. MEd Thesis ed. Cairo University.
5. AL-HABEEB, A.A., QURESHI, N.A. and AL-MALIKI, T.A., 2012. Pattern of child and adolescent psychiatric disorders among patients consulting publicly-funded child psychiatric clinics in Saudi Arabia. Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal. vol. 18, no. 2, pp. 112-119.
6. AL-HAIDAR, F.A., 2003. Co-morbidity and treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in Saudi Arabia. The Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal. vol. 9, no. 0, pp. 988-995.
7. ALKHENAINI, N., 2013. Fostering Creativity in Elementary School Art Education in Saudi Arabia through the Use of Selected Art Therapy Techniques. Master ed. The University of the Arts..
8. ALYAMI, A., 2009. The integration of art therapy into physical rehabilitation in a Saudi hospital. The Arts in Psychotherapy. vol. 36, no. 5, pp. 282-288.
9. BRAUN, V. and CLARKE, V., 2006. Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology. vol. 3, no. 2, pp. 77-101.
10. BRUE, A.W. and OAKLAND, T.D., 2002. Alternative treatments for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: does evidence support their use? Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine. vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 68-74.
11. BRYMAN, A., 2012. Social research methods. New York: Oxford university press.
12. CARPENTE, J.A., 2014. Individual Music-Centered Assessment Profile for Neurodevelopmental Disorders (IMCAP-ND): New Developments in Music-Centered Evaluation. Music Therapy Perspectives. vol. 32, no. 1, pp. 56-60.
13. CHANG, W. and LIU, W., 2006. A Study of the Application of the Drama Therapy on ADHD Students’ Social Abilities at the Resource Class of the Elementary School. The International Journal of Arts Education. vol. n/a, pp. 36-64.
14. DULICAI, D., 1999. The National Institute of Health Consensus Development Conference on Diagnosis and Treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. American Journal of Dance Therapy. vol. 21, no. 1, pp. 35-45.
15. EAPEN, V., EAPEN, V., MABROUK, A.A., ZOUBEIDI, T., SABRI, S., YOUSEF, S., AL-KETBI, J., AL-KYOMI, T. and JAKKA, M.E., 2009. Epidemiological study of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder among school children in the United Arab Emirates. Hamdan Medical Journal. vol. 2, no. 3, pp. 119-127.
16. EISA, Y. and ABDULRASHED, N., 2010. The effectiveness of a counseling program based on art therapy to reduce locomotor hyperactivity and improve attention by a sample of learning disabilities children in primary school. Journal of Research in Education and Psychology. vol. 23, no. 2, pp. 1-68.
17. ERFER, T. and ZIV, A., 2006. Moving toward cohesion: Group dance/movement therapy with children in psychiatry. Arts in Psychotherapy. vol. 33, no. 3, pp. 238-246.
18. HAKKAART-VAN ROIJEN, L., ZWIRS, B., BOUWMANS, C., TAN, S.S., SCHULPEN, T., VLASVELD, L. and BUITELAAR, J., 2007. Societal costs and quality of life of children suffering from attention deficient hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. vol. 16, no. 5, pp. 316-326.
19. HEMMINGSSON, H., GUSTAVSSON, A. and TOWNSEND, E., 2007. Students with disabilities participating in mainstream schools: Policies that promote and limit teacher and therapist cooperation. Disability & Society. vol. 22, no. 4, pp. 383-398.
20. HOLOWENKO, H. and PASHUTE, K., 2000. ADHD in Schools: A survey of prevalence and ‘coherence'across a local UK population. Educational Psychology in Practice. vol. 16, no. 2, pp. 181-190.
21. HOMIDI, M., OBAIDAT, Y. and HAMAIDI, D., 2013. Prevalence of Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder among Primary School Students in Jeddah city, KSA . Life Science Journal. vol. 10, no. 3, pp. 280-285.
22. JOFFE, H. and YARDLEY, L., 2004. 4 Content And Thematic Analysis. In: D.F. MARKS and L. YARDLEY eds., Research methods for clinical and health psychology. London: Sage Publications, pp. 56-68.
23. JONES, P., 2005. The arts therapies: A revolution in healthcare. New York: Psychology Press.
24. JONES, K., 2004. School nursing in search of the holistic paradigm. Creative Nursing. vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 11-11.
25. KARKOU, V. and SANDERSON, P., 2006. Arts Therapies: A Reasearch-based Map of the Field. Edinburgh: Elsevier Health Sciences.
26. KFMC., 2010. Rehabilitation Hospital. Available from: http://www.kfmc.med.sa/English/RehabilitationHospital/Pages/ProgramsAndServices/Art-and-Recreation-Therapy.aspx.
27. LAVOIE, T., 2008. Introduction and Overview to ADHD Part 1. Exceptional Parent. vol. 38, no. 3, pp. 74-75.
28. LONG, D.E., 2005. Culture and customs of Saudi Arabia. Westport, Coll: Greenwood Press.
29. MACK, N., WOODSONG, C., MACQUEEN, K.M., GUEST, G. and NAMEY, E., 2005. Qualitative research methods: a data collectors field guide. North Carolina: Family Health International.
30. MRC., 2008. Developing and evaluating complex interventions: new guidance. Available from: http://www.mrc.ac.uk/documents/pdf/complex-interventions-guidance/.
31. NHS and UK., 2011. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Available from: http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder/Pages/Introduction.aspx.
32. PRATT, R.R., 2004. Art, dance, and music therapy. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics of North America. vol. 15, no. 4, pp. 827-841.
33. REDMAN, D., 2009. The Effectiveness of Dance/Movement Therapy as a Treatment for Students in a Public Alternative School Diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Pilot Study. Master ed. Drexel University.
34. REGEV, D., KEDEM, D. and GUTTMANN, J., 2012. The Effects of Mothers’ Participation in Movement Therapy on the Emotional Functioning of Their School-age Children in Israel.The Arts in Psychotherapy. vol. 39, no. 5, pp. 479-488.
35. RYAN, F., COUGHLAN, M. and CRONIN, P., 2009. Interviewing in qualitative research: The one-to-one interview. International Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation. vol. 16, no. 6, pp. 309-314.
36. SHOLT, M. and GAVRON, T., 2006. Therapeutic qualities of clay-work in art therapy and psychotherapy: A review. Art Therapy. vol. 23, no. 2, pp. 66-72.
37. SKOUNTI, M., GIANNOUKAS, S., DIMITRIOU, E., NIKOLOPOULOU, S., LINARDAKIS, E. and PHILALITHIS, A., 2010. Prevalence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in schoolchildren in Athens, Greece. Association of ADHD subtypes with social and academic impairment. ADHD Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorders. vol. 2, no. 3, pp. 127-132.
38. SOBANSKI, E., BANASCHEWSKI, T., ASHERSON, P., BUITELAAR, J., CHEN, W., FRANKE, B., HOLTMANN, M., KRUMM, B., SERGEANT, J. and SONUGA‐BARKE, E., 2010. Emotional lability in children and adolescents with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): clinical correlates and familial prevalence. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. vol. 51, no. 8, pp. 915-923.
39. TSAL, Y., SHALEV, L. and MEVORACH, C., 2005. The diversity of attention deficits in ADHD: the prevalence of four cognitive factors in ADHD versus controls. Journal of Learning Disabilities. vol. 38, no. 2, pp. 142-157.
40. VAISMORADI, M., TURUNEN, H. and BONDAS, T., 2013. Content analysis and thematic analysis: Implications for conducting a qualitative descriptive study. Nursing & Health Sciences. vol. 15, no. 3, pp. 398-405.
41. VAN NIEUWKERK, K., 2008. Creating an Islamic cultural sphere: contested notions of art, leisure and entertainment. An Introduction. Contemporary Islam. vol. 2, no. 3, pp. 169-176.
42. WAITE, R. and IVEY, N., 2009. Promoting culturally sensitive ADHD services for women: an individual example and a call to action. Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services. vol. 47, no. 4, pp. 26-33.
2. ABUR RAHIM, F., AL-HAMAD, A., CHALEBY, K. and AL-SUBAIE, A., 1996. A survey of a child psychiatry clinic in a teaching hospital in Saudi Arabia: Clinical profile and cross-cultural comparison. Saudi Medical Journal. vol. 17, no. 1, pp. 36-41.
3. AL HAMED, J.H., TAHA, A.Z., SABRA, A.A. and BELLA, H., 2008. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): Is it a Health Problem among Male Primary School Children. Bahrain Medical Bulletin. vol. 30, no. 2, pp. 1-9.
4. AL MULLA, S., 2008. Psychodrama Program for Reducing Attention deficit Hyperactivity disorder in Kindergarten in the United Arab Emirates. MEd Thesis ed. Cairo University.
5. AL-HABEEB, A.A., QURESHI, N.A. and AL-MALIKI, T.A., 2012. Pattern of child and adolescent psychiatric disorders among patients consulting publicly-funded child psychiatric clinics in Saudi Arabia. Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal. vol. 18, no. 2, pp. 112-119.
6. AL-HAIDAR, F.A., 2003. Co-morbidity and treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in Saudi Arabia. The Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal. vol. 9, no. 0, pp. 988-995.
7. ALKHENAINI, N., 2013. Fostering Creativity in Elementary School Art Education in Saudi Arabia through the Use of Selected Art Therapy Techniques. Master ed. The University of the Arts..
8. ALYAMI, A., 2009. The integration of art therapy into physical rehabilitation in a Saudi hospital. The Arts in Psychotherapy. vol. 36, no. 5, pp. 282-288.
9. BRAUN, V. and CLARKE, V., 2006. Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology. vol. 3, no. 2, pp. 77-101.
10. BRUE, A.W. and OAKLAND, T.D., 2002. Alternative treatments for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: does evidence support their use? Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine. vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 68-74.
11. BRYMAN, A., 2012. Social research methods. New York: Oxford university press.
12. CARPENTE, J.A., 2014. Individual Music-Centered Assessment Profile for Neurodevelopmental Disorders (IMCAP-ND): New Developments in Music-Centered Evaluation. Music Therapy Perspectives. vol. 32, no. 1, pp. 56-60.
13. CHANG, W. and LIU, W., 2006. A Study of the Application of the Drama Therapy on ADHD Students’ Social Abilities at the Resource Class of the Elementary School. The International Journal of Arts Education. vol. n/a, pp. 36-64.
14. DULICAI, D., 1999. The National Institute of Health Consensus Development Conference on Diagnosis and Treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. American Journal of Dance Therapy. vol. 21, no. 1, pp. 35-45.
15. EAPEN, V., EAPEN, V., MABROUK, A.A., ZOUBEIDI, T., SABRI, S., YOUSEF, S., AL-KETBI, J., AL-KYOMI, T. and JAKKA, M.E., 2009. Epidemiological study of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder among school children in the United Arab Emirates. Hamdan Medical Journal. vol. 2, no. 3, pp. 119-127.
16. EISA, Y. and ABDULRASHED, N., 2010. The effectiveness of a counseling program based on art therapy to reduce locomotor hyperactivity and improve attention by a sample of learning disabilities children in primary school. Journal of Research in Education and Psychology. vol. 23, no. 2, pp. 1-68.
17. ERFER, T. and ZIV, A., 2006. Moving toward cohesion: Group dance/movement therapy with children in psychiatry. Arts in Psychotherapy. vol. 33, no. 3, pp. 238-246.
18. HAKKAART-VAN ROIJEN, L., ZWIRS, B., BOUWMANS, C., TAN, S.S., SCHULPEN, T., VLASVELD, L. and BUITELAAR, J., 2007. Societal costs and quality of life of children suffering from attention deficient hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. vol. 16, no. 5, pp. 316-326.
19. HEMMINGSSON, H., GUSTAVSSON, A. and TOWNSEND, E., 2007. Students with disabilities participating in mainstream schools: Policies that promote and limit teacher and therapist cooperation. Disability & Society. vol. 22, no. 4, pp. 383-398.
20. HOLOWENKO, H. and PASHUTE, K., 2000. ADHD in Schools: A survey of prevalence and ‘coherence'across a local UK population. Educational Psychology in Practice. vol. 16, no. 2, pp. 181-190.
21. HOMIDI, M., OBAIDAT, Y. and HAMAIDI, D., 2013. Prevalence of Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder among Primary School Students in Jeddah city, KSA . Life Science Journal. vol. 10, no. 3, pp. 280-285.
22. JOFFE, H. and YARDLEY, L., 2004. 4 Content And Thematic Analysis. In: D.F. MARKS and L. YARDLEY eds., Research methods for clinical and health psychology. London: Sage Publications, pp. 56-68.
23. JONES, P., 2005. The arts therapies: A revolution in healthcare. New York: Psychology Press.
24. JONES, K., 2004. School nursing in search of the holistic paradigm. Creative Nursing. vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 11-11.
25. KARKOU, V. and SANDERSON, P., 2006. Arts Therapies: A Reasearch-based Map of the Field. Edinburgh: Elsevier Health Sciences.
26. KFMC., 2010. Rehabilitation Hospital. Available from: http://www.kfmc.med.sa/English/RehabilitationHospital/Pages/ProgramsAndServices/Art-and-Recreation-Therapy.aspx.
27. LAVOIE, T., 2008. Introduction and Overview to ADHD Part 1. Exceptional Parent. vol. 38, no. 3, pp. 74-75.
28. LONG, D.E., 2005. Culture and customs of Saudi Arabia. Westport, Coll: Greenwood Press.
29. MACK, N., WOODSONG, C., MACQUEEN, K.M., GUEST, G. and NAMEY, E., 2005. Qualitative research methods: a data collectors field guide. North Carolina: Family Health International.
30. MRC., 2008. Developing and evaluating complex interventions: new guidance. Available from: http://www.mrc.ac.uk/documents/pdf/complex-interventions-guidance/.
31. NHS and UK., 2011. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Available from: http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder/Pages/Introduction.aspx.
32. PRATT, R.R., 2004. Art, dance, and music therapy. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics of North America. vol. 15, no. 4, pp. 827-841.
33. REDMAN, D., 2009. The Effectiveness of Dance/Movement Therapy as a Treatment for Students in a Public Alternative School Diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Pilot Study. Master ed. Drexel University.
34. REGEV, D., KEDEM, D. and GUTTMANN, J., 2012. The Effects of Mothers’ Participation in Movement Therapy on the Emotional Functioning of Their School-age Children in Israel.The Arts in Psychotherapy. vol. 39, no. 5, pp. 479-488.
35. RYAN, F., COUGHLAN, M. and CRONIN, P., 2009. Interviewing in qualitative research: The one-to-one interview. International Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation. vol. 16, no. 6, pp. 309-314.
36. SHOLT, M. and GAVRON, T., 2006. Therapeutic qualities of clay-work in art therapy and psychotherapy: A review. Art Therapy. vol. 23, no. 2, pp. 66-72.
37. SKOUNTI, M., GIANNOUKAS, S., DIMITRIOU, E., NIKOLOPOULOU, S., LINARDAKIS, E. and PHILALITHIS, A., 2010. Prevalence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in schoolchildren in Athens, Greece. Association of ADHD subtypes with social and academic impairment. ADHD Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorders. vol. 2, no. 3, pp. 127-132.
38. SOBANSKI, E., BANASCHEWSKI, T., ASHERSON, P., BUITELAAR, J., CHEN, W., FRANKE, B., HOLTMANN, M., KRUMM, B., SERGEANT, J. and SONUGA‐BARKE, E., 2010. Emotional lability in children and adolescents with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): clinical correlates and familial prevalence. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. vol. 51, no. 8, pp. 915-923.
39. TSAL, Y., SHALEV, L. and MEVORACH, C., 2005. The diversity of attention deficits in ADHD: the prevalence of four cognitive factors in ADHD versus controls. Journal of Learning Disabilities. vol. 38, no. 2, pp. 142-157.
40. VAISMORADI, M., TURUNEN, H. and BONDAS, T., 2013. Content analysis and thematic analysis: Implications for conducting a qualitative descriptive study. Nursing & Health Sciences. vol. 15, no. 3, pp. 398-405.
41. VAN NIEUWKERK, K., 2008. Creating an Islamic cultural sphere: contested notions of art, leisure and entertainment. An Introduction. Contemporary Islam. vol. 2, no. 3, pp. 169-176.
42. WAITE, R. and IVEY, N., 2009. Promoting culturally sensitive ADHD services for women: an individual example and a call to action. Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services. vol. 47, no. 4, pp. 26-33.
Published
2025-08-18
How to Cite
Dr. Badr Abdulaziz Alrazain, & Dr. Ania Zubala. (2025). Arts Therapies Practice: (The differences between the UK and Saudi Arabia). Journal of Arts, Literature, Humanities and Social Sciences, (123), 468-487. https://doi.org/10.33193/JALHSS.123.2025.1495
Issue
Section
المقالات
Copyright (c) 2025 Dr. Badr Abdulaziz Alrazain , Dr. Ania Zubala
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
